DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-017, January 28, 2005
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full
credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies.
DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission.
Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not
having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of
noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits
For restrixions and searchable 2005 contents archive see
http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html
NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but
have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself
obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn
NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1261:
Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream repeated 2-hourly thru 2400
Sat 0000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55
Sat 0900 WOR WRN1 to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar,
Telstar 12 SAm
Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300
Sat 1130 WOR WWCR 5070
Sat 2030 WOR R. Lavalamp
Sun 0330 WOR WWCR 5070
Sun 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB
Sun 0430 WOR WRMI 6870
Sun 0730 WOR WWCR 3210
Sun 0930 WOR WRN1 to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP
Sun 0930 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9
Sun 0930 WOR WXPN Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9
Sun 0930 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed]
Sun 0930 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional]
Sun 1030 WOR WRMI 9955
Sun 1100 WOR R. Lavalamp
Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5
Sun 1500 WOR R. Lavalamp
Sun 2000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55
Sun 2030 WOR WWCR 12160
Sun 2100 WOR RNI
Mon 0330 WOR WRMI 6870
Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB
Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [week delay]
Mon 0530 WOR WBCQ 7415
Mon 0900 WOR R. Lavalamp
Mon 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours
Tue 0700 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5
Tue 1000 WOR WRMI 9955
Tue 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours
Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985
Wed 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours
MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
WRN ONDEMAND:
http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24
OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]
WORLD OF RADIO 1261 (high version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261h.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261h.rm
WORLD OF RADIO 1261 (low version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261.rm
(summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1261.html
WORLD OF RADIO 1261 in the true shortwave sound of 7415:
(stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_01-05-26.m3u
(d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_01-05-26.mp3
DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Get and contribute news between DXLD issues -- Here`s
where to sign up. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/
** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 12140, 25/1 1422, R. Free Afghanistan, 444,
website info http://www.azadiradio.org twice by YL, ID, then news by
OM, closed by music 1429.
12140, 25/1 1430, Ashna Radyo, 444, IS, then ID by OM "Da VOA Ashna
Radyo" - news YL & OM by turns // 15615 (Tony Ashar, Depok, Indonesia,
icf-sw7600gr, telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
** ANTARCTICA. Redes de operación de estaciones antárticas:
Russian Antarctic PolarNet: 1500 UT diario en 14160 controlada por
Vlad UA1BJ
South Pole Polar Net: 0000 UT diario en 14243 khz controlada por Larry
K1IED
FCG Net: 2200 UT diario en 21365 controlada por estaciones JA
Antarctic Net: 1900 UT sábados en 14290 controlada por LU4DXU
Información del boletín WAP 177. http://www.ddxc.net/wap/default.php
es la url del World Wide Antarctic Program (WAP), un sitio web
dedicado a la radioafición en el continente antártico. En la sección
Download se destaca la 4ta edición del directorio WAP, completisima
información de las bases, estaciones, mapas e información histórica.
muy recomendable (Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay, Boletín DX de
"El EsKuch@ Newsletter" Jan 26 via Dario Monferini, playdx via DXLD)
** ARGENTINA. RADIO BALUARTE --- En ocasión de mi viaje por el noreste
argentino, tuve oportunidad de visitar en Puerto Iguazú, provincia de
Misiones, las instalaciones de Radio Baluarte, la única emisora no
estatal que actualmente opera en la onda corta desde la Argentina. Sus
estudios se encuentran en una pintoresca zona ubicada a unas pocas
cuadras del centro comercial de la pequeña y bonita localidad
turística de Puerto Iguazú. La emisora está saliendo actualmente en
los 6214.5 kHz con menos de 500 vatios de potencia. El transmisor es
totalmente casero, fabricado de forma artesanal en Buenos Aires y
operado por esta emisora desde mediados del año 2000. El horario de
transmisión es de 0900 a 2400 UT y se retransmite íntegramente la
programación de la FM Futuro (101.7 MHz) que está en el aire en ese
mismo segmento del día. La antena empleada es una de hilo largo de
unos 20 metros ubicada en la zona rural de Puerto Iguazú. Esta antena
está orientada en dirección al sur del Brasil, donde la estación tiene
una importante audiencia.
Este grupo religioso opera también una emisora de onda media, con
programación diferenciada, llamada Radio Maranatha, que usa los 1610
kHz. Tuve ocasión de ver la oficina administrativa de la emisora, en
la cual me fue mostrado un informe de recepción que habían recibido
proveniente del colega peruano César Pérez Dioses, de Chimbote. Ellos
están muy contentos de recibir reportes de sintonía de todo el mundo,
mas manifiestan que muchas veces no pueden escuchar los discos
compactos que les hacen llegar como prueba de la captación, por lo
cual sería recomendable que los detalles de la transmisión escuchada
sean transcriptos en la carta que se les envía. Los informes pueden
ser dirigidos también a dirección electrónica: icnfuturo @ hotmail.com
El Pastor Hugo Eidinger o la Sra. Ana de Eidinger son los encargados
de contestar los reportes y enviar la carta QSL de verificación
(Arnaldo Slaen, Jan 28, Noticias DX via DXLD)
I visited Radio Baluarte past days ago in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones. The
station is situated a few blocks from the center of the small tourist
city. Radio Baluarte is on 6214.5 kHz. All transmission is in parallel
with FM Futuro (101.7 MHz) from 0900 to 0000 UT. The transmission
equipment is absolutely handcrafted. Now is on air with only 500
watts. The antenna is a longwire with 20 meters in direction to the
South of Brazil. It`s in the rural area. In my visit I could see a
reception report of the DXer César Pérez Dioses, Chimbote, Perú. Your
can send your reception report by ordinary post to Miss Ana de
Eidinger or Mr. Hugo Eidinger, Hipólito Yrigoyen esquina Andresito,
Puerto Iguazú, Provincia de Misiones, Argentina and to icnfuturo @
hotmail.com 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Jan 28, HCDX via DXLD)
** AZERBAIJAN. On more than one occasion, including Jan 28 around 1415
UT, I have been hearing a constant and annoying heterodyne on VOA
6110, from a carrier on about 6111. Surely this is the other VOA,
perpetually off-frequency. If it is annoying over here, it may be as
bad or worse in Asia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BANGLADESH. 7185, R. Bangladesh Betar. 1230-1300 1/26. English
program for S. Asia and SEA including ID, news and just prior to sign-
off request for reception reports with address and fax number. This is
first station actually ID'ed with new antenna (Steve Bass, Columbus,
Ohio, R8B with Wellbrook 330S Antenna, swl at qth.net via DXLD)
7185, Bangladesh Betar, 1806 25 Jan, religious themes about Islam
told by YL. "This is Dhaka calling Europe" with frequencies. Newsdesk
by same YL at lower audio with news at 1815, S9, 43443 (Zacharias
Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103,
Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m
australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BELGIUM. RTBF strikers open their own Website --- Striking
journalists at Belgian French-language public broadcaster RTBF have
opened a Website to give their side of the dispute with management.
The strikers agreed not to disrupt a special programme that was
scheduled today to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz. RTBF en Grève http://www.rtbfengreve.be # posted by Andy @
17:07 UT Jan 27 (Media Network blog via DXLD)
** BERMUDA. Power 95 reception --- Here is an e-mail response to my
ZBM 94.9 follow-up letter. This now means that I have verified both of
the stations I heard in July, 94.9 and 106.1. I note in my 2003 WRTH
that ZBM is listed at 1 kW, so moving to 2.5 kW might make it a better
target (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, WTFDA via DXLD)
Dear Mr. Renfrew, The information you refer to in your letter is
correct. Our station 95.9 [sic] MHz is one of 2 AM , 2 FM, and 2 TV
channels. The stations all run a 24-7 service and the station you
heard is live during the day and nets with ABC radio from 9 pm to 6
am. The transmitter until last week was a 10 kw CCA unit that is over
45 years old. While it still works, it was retired and replaced with a
Harris Z2CD 2.5 Kw transmitter. Today I will mail back your letter and
we thank your for your letter (Delano Ingham, Chief Engineer /
Operations Mgr., Jan 26 via Renfrew, ibid.)
2005 WRTH also says 1 kW. But, but, he says the old one was 10 kW, not
1 kW. Also got the frequency wrong, so can`t rely on other numbers
here. Abroad, the concept of ERP is often ignored too (gh, DXLD)
** CAMBODIA [non]. Radio Free Asia, 11510, 06/01 *1230-1300 via Almaty
(Kazakhstan), Khmer, news OM-YL sul maremoto (citato lo Sri Lanka),
musica melodica cambogiana. Questa emissione non è soggetta a jamming,
il che significa che la Cambogia non blocca l'informazione straniera
come viene fatto invece per i servizi cinese e tibetano (L. Botto
Fiora, Italy, Jan 6, 2005 in BCL-News via CRW via DXLD)
** CANADA. VOICE OF THE NASB EXTENDS DRM TRANSMISSIONS
The NASB Board of Directors voted in January to extend the weekly
"Voice of the NASB" halfhour radio programs in DRM which are broadcast
each Saturday at 1700 UT on 11900 kHz to North America. Each week the
program features excerpts from NASB member and associate member
stations' programming. Recently, the series has focused mostly on DX
programs, in an effort to encourage the more technically-minded
shortwave listeners to try tuning in the transmissions in DRM mode.
The Voice of the NASB is broadcast via the transmitters of Radio
Canada International in Sackville, New Brunswick. The Board extended
NASB's contract with RCI until the end of the B04 broadcast season at
the end of March (Jan NASB Newsletter via DXLD)
** COLOMBIA. Quito 27/1 2005 *** Thursday edition: *** Recording of
3200.15 kHz Colombia Mia I have never noted anyhing interesting on
3200 kHz from LA but I have had an unID LA station yesterday and today
thursday - both morning and evening. This evening I was lucky o get
both name and QTH (QTH is better on my original recording). "Carepa"
is located in the department of Antioquia in northwestern Colombia
with 40.000 inhabitants. "Colombia Mia" is owned by the Colombian
militry. Harmonic from 1600 kHz. Comments and recordings at:
http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** COLOMBIA [and non]. Re 5-016, VENEZUELA: I should perhaps add that
this guerrilla has been on the Interpol list for a couple of years,
according to the Colombians. The FARC is on the US and EU terrorist
lists all right, and so this was an abduction similar to that of the
international terrorist "Carlos", who was caught in the Sudan, or
German nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann, who was picked up in Argentina
years ago. Colombia has asked Venezuela to send back the Colombian
guerrillas who are using Venezuelan territory as a haven, but nothing
has been forthcoming (Henrik Klemetz, RealDX via DXLD)
** CONGO DR. I've been listening out for the new station in the east
of the country on 4845 (see WRTH 2005) but with no joy. Two other low-
powered stations in the same general area - Radio Candip on 5066 and
Radio Kahuzi on 6210 - are heard, so I wonder if 4845 is really
active. Has it ever been reported as being heard? (Chris (in Nairobi)
Greenway, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. CUBA MOVING TOWARDS LAUNCH OF DIGITAL TELEVISION | Excerpt
from report by Cira Rodriguez Cesar: "Cuba moving towards digital
television" published by Cuban news agency AIN web site
As the world moves towards digitization in all areas because of the
superior possibilities of the technology, Cuba is taking firm steps to
move into the era of digital television, notwithstanding its economic
limitations and technical backwardness.
Such innovation requires changes more important than moving from
black-and-white to colour, because it is about achieving far superior
image and sound quality, in addition to options such as mobile
reception, interactivity and multimedia services which are so up-to-
date nowadays with the Internet.
In 2003 and 2004 the most relevant events occurred in Cuba's attempts
to launch digital television: the creation of two new channels with
completely digitized studios and national coverage.
Those channels' video signals are processed digitally without using
the analogue system, which is still used by Cubavision and Tele
Rebelde.
The country now has the possibility of producing digital signals and
broadcasting them as part of the testing ground process which will
have to be implemented later on, even though [the improvement in]
image quality is already noticeable, which is a small token of the
advantages of the new technology.
The introduction of digital equipment continued in the other two
channels, and the use of the Closed Caption [previous two words
published in English] system began, as an option for the deaf and
hearing impaired.
A similar boost is being given to the radio signal transmission system
through the national fibre optics network, the backbone of the signal
transmission system in the whole country.
The distribution of [Chinese] ATEC-Panda television sets with audio-
video inputs, closed caption and teletext is enabling the use of a
decoding device for digital television or other services such as web-
television, a mode that will allow future access to the Internet to
millions of citizens who do not have a computer but own a television
set. [Passage omitted]
In order to tune in to the new digital signals, it is necessary to
have a digital television set or fit a device or decoding box, which
is very costly, to the analogue set, in addition to the need for
improved technical ability, because digital television tunes in very
well or not at all. Notwithstanding all of this, modern times are
imposing themselves and in Cuba, because of the social and human
imprint that the introduction of any technological or scientific
improvement has, digital television will be no exception. Source: AIN
news agency, Havana, in Spanish 27 Jan 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** CUBA [non]. 9955, WRMI --- I asked Jeff White of WRMI to comment on
some of the programs I had recently heard; here is his response.
"Radio Oriente Libre" in the morning is a repeat of their regular
Sunday evening program (8:30-9:30 pm ET on 9955) that has been on for
a few years now. It's sponsored by the Municipio de Oriente en el
Exilio -- executive producer and main host Pedro Peñaranda.
"Entre Nosotras" is program by Cuban women exiles for women in Cuba.
This group is affiliated with the Electrical Workers Union in Exile
program "Radio Revista Lux" which we have broadcast for many years,
but is on a sort of hiatus for a few months until sometime after the
new year. The women's program is fairly new, having started earlier
this year (J. White, WRMI-USA via H. Johnson, FL, Dec 16, 2004, Jihad-
DX via CRW via DXLD)
** DJIBOUTI. I have been listening for reactivated 4780, but nothing
heard yet. I remember hearing it fairly well in Nairobi before it
disappeared more than 10 years ago. I can hear Djibouti on 1539, but
not on 1116 which (like 4780) was supposed to have been built by IBB
as part of the deal to establish the 1431 Radio Sawa station (Chris
(in Nairobi) Greenway, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Chris, I've always enjoyed your accurate and most interesting
reports. Here some notes: From some sources I got info that RTD new 50
kW sw transmitter (4780?) might be operational sometime this March
(Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 15190, Radio Africa (presumed); 1820-1856*?, 19-
Jan; Can only pick up bits of religious English now & then; very noisy
sig. Pretty sure they went off at 1856; no hint of them after that
past 1900 (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD)
I've been listening to Radio Africa Number 2 on 15190 over the past
week. Transmissions are erratic. In the morning I have heard it as
early as 0615 (though nothing there today) and again in the afternoon
from as early at 1430. But they are having problems. Yesterday they
were there with good signals at 1430 with a taped programme from the
US Salvation Army that was obviously meant to have been aired over the
Christmas season, interrupted by a local ID "You are listening to
Radio Africa Number 2". Then the programme was cut, reappearing after
a while with the tape having been rewound by a few minutes. The signal
strength varied wildly (too abruptly for usual SW fading) so I assumed
it to be caused by power variations at the transmitter. After a series
of transmitter cuts, it eventually disappared altogether. Still
testing, or major problems with their power supply?? (Chris (in
Nairobi) Greenway, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ERITREA. 7180, R. Asmara, 1745-+ 25 Jan with horn songs, YL in lang
then played something like a hymn. Supposed to transmit in Arabic
after 1800 but carrier was vacant! S8, 34443 (Zacharias Liangas,
Thessaloniki, Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Chibo
c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian
loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ERITREA & ETHIOPIA [nons]. 21550, 25/1 1121, R. UNMEE, 344,
translated speech appealing clean water, health care, fund raising -
address in Ethiopia & Eritrea - warning of mines danger "don't touch
anything" - 1129 ID by YL (Tony Ashar, Depok, Indonesia, icf-sw7600gr,
telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
** ETHIOPIA. 9561, 23/1 1630, R. Ethiopia, 333, ID ``You're tuned to
the external service of Radio Ethiopia``, local time info 7:30 pm,
news by YL, requested songs (Tony Ashar, Depok, Indonesia, icf-
sw7600gr, telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
9549.45, [should that be 9559.45? --- gh] R. Ethiopia, Jan 18, *1600-
1610, 34332, English, 1600 sign on with IS. ID. Pops and Ethiopian
music. Thanks for Infomation from Baba via Kageyama BBS.
9704.2, R. Ethiopia, Jan 17, *1459-1507, 34332, Amharic, 1459 sign on
with IS. ID. Talk (Ko. Hashimoto, Japan Premium via DXLD)
** EUROPE. Who is currently hearing Laser on SW just now? I check day
time and night time, and the last few days can only get a whisper of
4025 early evening. At lunchtime thurs like all week there is nothing
on any channel. Anyone hearing 4025, 6210, 6220, 7465, 9385. Either
storm damage, or just bloody awful propegation. The top band hams were
struggling with each other last night (Ken Baird, Ayrshire, Jan 27,
MWC via DXLD)
Laser 558 testing NOW on 6260 kHz Short Wave A.M. until approximately
1730z; reports please to charlie.stone @ laser558.org.uk We will be
testing again tomorrow on the same frequency (interference/ jammers
permitting!) at 1700z approximately (Radio Strike, Jan 27, BCLNews.it
via DXLD)
Laser's 6219 outlet, which has been off the air for the past couple of
weeks, heard back on this morning in parallel with 9385 and 7465 kHz.
Weak signal - probably because of the very poor SW conditions. 73s
(Dave Kenny, Jan 28, BDXC-UK via DXLD)
** FRANCE. January 26 while checking MW I heard R France International
on MW. Are there any other RFI MW-outlets, I wonder? Frequency was 738
kHz, language Portuguese and time 1715 UTC. Transmitter site is Paris
and power 4 kW. At 18 they switched to Pashto, I guess. Reception was
pretty poor here in Turku, 60 degrees north. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen,
Turku, FINLAND, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** FRANCE. KEEP ENGLISH OUT OF PROGRAMME NAMES, SAYS BROADCASTING
COUNCIL | Text of report by French news agency AFP
Paris, 27 January: The Higher Broadcasting Council (CSA) has adopted a
recommendation on the use of the English language in which it calls on
private radio stations and TV channels to "try and use French in their
programme titles".
In a recommendation published on its web site on Thursday [27
January], the CSA calls on "editors working for private radio stations
and TV channels to endeavour to use French in their programme titles".
In cases where they "opt for a foreign language title", the Council
"advocates a verbal or visual translation of this title to ensure a
proper understanding by the public".
"It is hard not to notice and, worse still, remain silent at the
profusion of English or anglicized words on television and the radio,"
the CSA said in a report.
Noting that "the greater prestige enjoyed by English words has an
effect on the collective subconscious, especially among young people,"
the CSA's French language group expressed concern at the increase in
the number of programmes with English titles, such as "Star Academy,
Loft Story, Popstars, Fear Factor, Charmed and Totally Spies".
According to the CSA, "this tendency is the result of the supposed
superiority of English and the widespread feeling that Francophone
culture is inferior or outmoded".
The "danger of Franglais is not some much that it 'pollutes' our
language but that it suggests to the public that those realities which
have been anointed by the English language are more admirable and
desirable, contemporary and 'trendy' ".
The CSA's recommendation is intended to "set the record straight", the
report says, "without damaging freedom of expression, while at the
same time trying to maintain the intelligibility of audiovisual
communication and the identity of our culture". Source: AFP news
agency, Paris, in French 1454 gmt 27 Jan 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** INDIA. As 11585 (Khampur Delhi 250 kW) is now being used for
Rainbow FM to Andamans, the following services of AIR External
Services on this frequency have been deleted. 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-
1600 Baluchi, 1615-1730 Persian, 1730-1945 Arabic (Jose Jacob,
dx_india via DXLD)
** INDIA. 4971, 1603-1630*, AIR Shillong Jan 27 Presumed. Continuous
pop music tunes to woman in Hindi with announcements and sign-off at
1630* (per WRTH sked). Deteriorating signal past local sunrise, and
poor by 1630. Thanks to Ron Howard for tip on off-frequency Shillong.
(Guy Atkins Puyallup, WA USA, ICOM IC-756Pro & mod. ICOM R-75 Kiwa MAP
/ ERGO / DSP-59+ 450 & 700 ft. Beverage Antennas, HCDX via DXLD)
** INDONESIA. 3960, 24/1 1345, RRI Palu, 422, OM Marno with phone in
reports/questions/want help on 6.2 earthquake aftermath - panic-
stricken people reminding possible tsunami threat as in Aceh - fleeing
from houses in refuge - blackout in some housing area - police & army
personnel keep on guard - commanding post for the right info - 1505
time info, 2305 local time - 1507 ID (Tony Ashar, Depok, Indonesia,
icf-sw7600gr, telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. WRONG REPORT: SIRIUS-XM NOT TALKING
January 26, 2005
Executives from the two satellite radio companies -- Sirius and XM --
have not started the initial phase of merger talks, as the NY Post
suggested in today's edition. Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin denied the
report in a quarterly earnings conference call this morning.
Since satellite radio is a licensed duopoly, the FCC would have to
approve the merger, which is unlikely since a monopoly would be
created by the satcasters joining forces. The Post suggests the
satcasters would get around the monopoly issue by asking to be
reclassified into a group that includes all providers of content over
wireless broadband services.
Meanwhile, during the quarterly earnings conference call, Sirius
reported its fourth-quarter revenue was bolstered by holiday sales and
grew five times over last year, though losses for the quarter grew to
$261.9 million from $147.8 million. Sirius increased its subscriber
estimate to more than 2.5 million by the end of 2005
(http://www.FMQB.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD)
SIRIUS CEO DISMISSES MERGER TALKS WITH XM
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050126/ap_en_bu/earns_sirius_satellite_radio
(via Brock Whaley, DXLD)
** IRAN [non]. KRSI has confirmed for Cumbre DX that they have left
shortwave. They are now streaming their programs over the Internet
instead at http://www.krsi.net KRSI added that even the audience in
Iran is tuning them in in this fashion. KRSI had previously used
shortwave from Moldova and France for a number of years, but had not
been noted in many, many months (H. Johnson, FL, Dec 16, 2004, Jihad-
DX via CRW via DXLD)
** ISRAEL. Kol Israel sent me this information by letter: Thank you
for your reception report. Unfortunately, it cannot be verified
because the engineers at Kol Israel no longer use listener reports.
However, I am enclosing the latest shortwave frequency schedule.
Sylvia Rapoport, Kol Israel English News, P. O. Box 1082, 91010
Jerusalem, Israel (Paul Gager / Austria, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Non
sequitur
** ITALY. Would European monitors please check whether any or all of
Rai`s foreign-language SW broadcasts have been cancelled, as alleged
in R. Bulgaria`s DX programs. Here`s one version of the B-04 schedule:
http://www.bclnews.it/b04schedules/rai.htm
(Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** JAPAN. NHK boss exits as viewers stop paying --- Beleaguered
broadcaster "must try to make a fresh start" in wake of embezzlement
and censorship scandals, management says
The Japan Times Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Faced with a rising number of people refusing to pay viewer
subscription fees due to embezzlement scandals, NHK President Katsuji
Ebisawa tendered his resignation Tuesday. "I believe I was able to put
comprehensive reforms for NHK's revival on course," the 70-year-old
Ebisawa said during a news conference held after he submitted his
letter of resignation to the NHK management committee in the evening.
. . http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=20060
(via Dan Say, BC, DXLD)
** KURDISTAN [non?]. CLANDESTINAS: 4609, Voice of Komala, 0356+, Enero
15. Vernacular. Charla por OM con fortísimo jamming. No pude escuchar
esta emisora en muchos DX Camps en los que he participado en la
Argentina durante los últimos años. 21441 (Arnaldo Slaen, DX Camp at
Ilha Comprida, SP, Brasil, Noticias DX via DXLD)
** KURDISTAN [non?]. Re: UNIDENTIFIED. Cland: Radio Roj? on 6315 with
Kurdish songs at 1617 Jan 23, S3 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki,
Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Yep, I guess they've moved here (ex-6310). Noted first on 19 Jan on
almost even 6315.0, today 26 Jan about 6315.2. At times they play real
"heavy rock" tunes (maybe Turkish) and then again to patriotic ballads
(Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1261,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LATVIA. RELAY FROM LATVIA 30th January 2005 [Sunday] - 9290 KHZ
EMR 1500-1633 UT, Euronet 1633-1803 UT. Latvia has improved their
Antenna System on 9290; PLEASE send a report THANK YOU 73s (Tom
Taylor, UK, Jan 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LATVIA. EUROPA-RADIO-INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING ON 9290 SHORT WAVE
ERI didn't appear in January due to transmitter modulation problems;
repairs are now said to be effected and ERI expect to make a welcome
return on the 20th February at noon 1200 GMT. Programme playlists and
information on this lively station can be found on the ERI website at
http://www.europaradiointernational.co.uk We hope that you enjoy your
visits http://www.bobleroi.co.uk Paz y Dx (via Ignacio Sotomayor,
Segovia, Castilla, España, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LUXEMBOURG. Clearly they are not confining DRM to their night time
hours. Noted 1440 with DRM this afternoon. I wonder what regular
listeners to Luxembourg make of the abrupt change? Or perhaps there
are no listeners to worry about? RTL lists 0800-1700 with DRM
http://www.baseportal.com/cgi-bin/baseportal.pl?htx=/drmdx/main_detail&cmd=all&Id==115
73 (Steve Whitt, UK, Jan 26, MWC via DXLD)
** MACEDONIA. Pirate: 1723 kHz, Tuna Radio, FYROM, S9 at 2146 27 Jan
(Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen
1102+1103, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V
invert, 1m australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MADAGASCAR. 3287.7, Radio Madagascar, 0309 Jan 27. Talk by woman in
Malagasy (assumed), weak but readable signal, parallel to the much
stronger outlet on 5010. Receiving Equipment: Drake R8B, 70ft
Terminated Delta. Thanks, (Mike Beu, KD5DSQ, Austin, Texas, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** MALAWI. WRTH 2005 on pp 271 lists a 1 kW transmitter for TWR on
4870 at Lilongwe. I've sent couple of e-mails to TWR offices in Africa
and Europe asking if this is on the air or a future plan, but they
didn't bother to reply. Chris, anything heard there? (Jari Savolainen,
Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MALDIVE ISLANDS. Minivan R., 11535 kHz, Prepared QSL card, QSL
letter (v/s:Monica Michie), letter in 21 days for English report with
1$. Report sent to Friends of Maldives, 64 Milford Street, Salisbury
SP1 2BP, United Kingdom (Ke. Hashimoto, Japan, Jan 14, 2005 for CRW
via DXLD)
** MEXICO. EDIL PERREDISTA DE TELOLOAPAN ORDENA LOS CONTENIDOS DE
RADIO CLANDESTINA
( Alejandro Sánchez en Teloloapan )
( publicado en la Crónica de Hoy, 2005-01-24 )
``Zeferino Torreblanca aventaja con cinco puntos a Héctor Astudillo.
No más engaños al pueblo, dice Zeferino. En Iguala aseguró que ni las
trampas, dinero o calumnias de los adversarios detendrán su cambio``.
Así arrancaba el noticiero estelar de este fin de semana en Radio
Tecampana, una estación clandestina que desde hace tres años opera en
FM junto al despacho del alcalde, el perredista Modesto Brito
González, quien decide el contenido de la programación.
La estación transmite 16 horas diarias por la 107.3 de FM y se escucha
en Guerrero, Michoacán, Estado de México y Morelos, organiza bailes en
la plaza de toros Tres Caminos, a 15 pesos la entrada, y distribuye
propaganda del PRD, en especial de su candidato al gobierno del
estado, Zeferino Torreblanca.
El transmisor y la cabina radiofónica se ubican en el primer piso del
Ayuntamiento, donde está la Dirección de Comunicación Social. Para ir
a la oficina del alcalde Brito González (2002-2005), solamente hay que
subir una escalera.
—¿Quién decide el contenido de la programación?, se le pregunta a
Mayra Bernabé, jefa de prensa de la alcaldía.
—Bueno, Antonio Bravo, el director de comunicación social, propone y
Mauro Brito, el alcalde, es quien tiene la última palabra.
Mientras, Juan Morales, ahora director de Multimedios de Teloloapan,
que opera el Canal 7 local, pero antes dirigió Radio Tecampana y la
abandonó cuando la PGR empezó investigaciones a la estación por
carecer de permiso oficial, agrega que el alcalde es quien dice lo que
se debe transmitir.
—¿Cuando usted estuvo al frente de Tecampana buscaron permiso oficial
o afiliarse a la Asociación Mundial de Radios Comunitarias?
—No. Luego vino lo de la investigación y tuvimos que declarar en la
delegación de la PGR en Iguala. La alcaldía realiza bailes a través de
la emisora, como una posada del 20 de diciembre pasado, con tres
grupos musicales en la plaza de toros.
``Paralelamente a la música en vivo, hubo un sonido y jaripeo, porque
aquí a la gente le gusta eso de los toros broncos y ver a los payasos
de rodeo salir volando del lomo del animal``, dice Carol Flores,
locutora de la emisión.
—¿Ese fue el evento más reciente?
—De los que se cobran 15 pesos sí. Pero también tuvimos el Radiotón
por el Día de Reyes, luego viene el Día del Niño, de las Madres y
otros musicales con jaripeo.
—¿Hay patrocinadores?
—Tenemos varios. Los principales son Farmapronto, Comercial Dafne,
Pinturas Nacho.
—¿Qué ofrecen?
—Nos dan productos para regalar.
Sin embargo, el viernes, en la oficina de Antonio Bravo, el director
de comunicación social, había una bolsa con pelotas y balones, junto a
una caja con carritos de plástico.
—¿Reciben esos productos a cambio de qué?
—Nosotros los anunciamos en la estación.
—¿Compañías como Coca Cola se han acercado?
—Sí, pero como somos una radio comunitaria, por el momento no hacemos
tratos.
Tecampana es la estación preferida de los taxistas y los choferes de
combis públicas, pero también de los comerciantes, jóvenes y amas de
casa. Colocar un tema musical en la emisión cuesta cinco mil pesos,
pero los artistas deben tocar gratis en los eventos del gobierno
perredista.
—¿Le gustan los bailes de 107.3 FM?
—Son buenos. Siempre llevan artistas del momento— dice Verónica
Hernández, una joven del pueblo que asistió a la posada de diciembre.
``Lo que no me gusta es que por todos lados haya propaganda del PRD y
su candidato Zeferino``, añade.
—¿Mantas colgadas?
—Mantas, paredes pintadas y volantes.
—No se conforman con las noticias— dice su novio Ernesto Cruz.
Un grupo de 10 jóvenes se encarga de la transmisión en segmentos de
una o dos horas a cambio de mil 860 pesos quincenales.
Hay un noticiario de lunes a viernes de 3:00 a 3:30 de la tarde,
conducido por Mayra Jazmín Bernabé, la jefa de prensa del municipio y,
además, corresponsal del Diario 21 de Iguala.
Octavio Chabelas Antúnez, chofer de un taxi Tsuru, que hace base en la
terminal de autobuses del municipio, sintoniza todos los días Radio
Tecampana.
—¿De qué se entera en la radio?, se le pregunta.
—Pues ahorita de lo caliente que está esto de la política. Apenas la
semana pasada vino Zeferino y estuvieron radiando que había que estar
presentes.
—¿Escucha propaganda del PRI?
—No la ponen.
—¿Del PAN?
—Puro PRD
—¿Antes, qué escuchaba?
—La Sabrosita, pero en Tecampana hay mejores temas de cumbia, salsa,
rock y tiene su enfoque social. Si pierdes una cartera vas al
Ayuntamiento y luego lo anuncian.
—¿Funciona ilegal o legalmente?
—Creo que legal, sino ya la hubieran clausurado.
La delegación de la PGR en Iguala abrió desde el 2002 una
investigación porque Tecampana no fue registrada ante las secretarías
de Gobernación y de Comunicaciones y Transportes.
—Mientras se resuelve el caso, pues seguimos dándole— advierte Mayra
Bernabé.
Y su compañera Carol Flores presume que todos los días reciben
llamadas de Iguala o Taxco, de Michoacán, Morelos y Estado de México:
``Me da gusto que lleguemos tan lejos``.
Además de las noticias y los musicales, transmiten el programa ``Una
vida con propósito``, auspiciado por la congregación evangelista local
Ixoye Fuentes.
``Se transmite los domingos de 10:30 a 11:00 y se hacen reflexiones
bíblicas y tiene ese auspicio``, cuenta el profesor Juan Morales,
quien puso en marcha la estación durante la administración pasada,
también perredista.
``Teloloapan estaba ávida de una estación de radio comunitaria. Sin
embargo, hoy las cosas han cambiado. Los segmentos de poesía, cantos
de música autóctona o de la región se sustituyeron por la música
comercial``, explica Morales.
Además, Morales es director del grupo musical ``Nini Estrada`` y su
cuñada se llama Olinda Infante, cantante de música vernácula.
``Llevé el disco de ella a la estación comunitaria para que recibiera
el apoyo de ser difundido, pero el operador Juan Mauro, me dijo que la
nueva política de la alcaldía es que para colocar un tema se cobran
cinco mil pesos``, asegura.
—¿La payola se puso de moda en Teloloapan?
—Todos los grupos del momento deben entrarle con su respectiva cuota.
Y tengo pruebas de más grupos.
—¿La gente del pueblo dice que usted sabe todo de esta radio?
—Pues sí, porque nosotros empezamos el proyecto con el propósito de
fomentar la cultura y aunque estábamos de manera irregular tratamos de
apegarnos a los lineamientos de la Ley Federal de Radio y TV.
—¿Y qué sucedió?
—Pues que desde que llegó esta administración las cosas ya no
siguieron igual.
Yo también por eso lo dejé. Pero, como la estación es clandestina, a
Mauro Brito no hay manera de que se le exija que rinda cuentas de los
recursos que obtiene 107.3, cómo distribuye los productos de sus
patrocinadores, tampoco si declara impuestos o si los locutores están
en nómina.
En el país operan 124 emisoras irregulares
Un documento interno de la SCT señala que en el país operan 124
estaciones de radio y televisión sin concesión ni permiso oficial. La
mayoría transmite en FM y en buen número están vinculadas a
organizaciones afines al PRD, reportó Crónica en su edición del
miércoles.
Agregó que Radio Tecampana, una de ellas, funciona desde el edificio
ayuntamiento de Teloloapan, Guerrero, gobernado por el PRD. Lo hace a
través del 107.3 de FM.
La cifra de la SCT corresponde al 4 de enero del presente año. El
propio Ejército Mexicano ha denunciado la existencia de estaciones
clandestinas (via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, condig list via DXLD)
** MONACO [non]. See VATICAN [non]
** MONGOLIA. 12085, Voice of Mongolia, 0959 26 Jan, Música de sintonía
y comienzo de la emisión en inglés. Locutora, ID "The Voice of
Mongolia". "You are listening to the Voice of Mongolia in English".
34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 4770, R. Nigeria / Kaduna, DS-2, 50k, 0601 Jan 27, SIO
432-u, English, OM news (Michel Lacroix, France, HCDX via DXLD)
Kaduna, 4770 has been again heard after some while on this frequency.
Signal level S9, 34323 at 2125 with songs 26.1 (Zacharias Liangas,
Thessaloniki, Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Chibo
c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian
loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OMAN. 15375, 25/1 1521, R. Sultanate of Oman, 322, call to prayer
(isya' local time), reading al Qur'an, 1527 ID by OM (Tony Ashar,
Depok, Indonesia, icf-sw7600gr, telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
** PARAGUAY. Experiencia de un lunes distinto
El pasado lunes 24 de enero fue, sin dudas, un dia distinto en
nuestras vidas. Rubén y yo comenzamos nuestro día bien temprano, ya
que hicimos algunas grabaciones de identificaciones de emisoras
asunceñas. A las 1100 UT, pasó por nuestro hotel Adán Mur, encargado
técnico de Radio América, quien nos prometió una visita a Radio Libre,
una de las últimas emisoras paraguayas en salir al aire pero que por
su estilo, se convirtió a todas luces en una de las más escuchadas de
la onda media local. La personalidad de la radio es una extensión de
la que caracteriza a su director, el señor Benjamín Fernández Bogado.
El estilo de la emisora es inteligente, fuerte, polémico. En algunos
aspectos, Radio Libre rivaliza con Radio Ñandutí. En realidad, el
gobierno tiene en estas dos emisoras la presencia de dos verdaderos
fiscales. Nos tocó en suerte compartir la mesa de trabajo con el señor
Fernández Bogado, quien conduce un programa muy fuerte: "Contrapoder".
Al micrófono, hicimos junto a Rubén y al director de la estación, un
análisis de la radio argentina y paraguaya actual, trazamos
paralelismos y diferencias y conversamos al aire sobre las
experiencias de radio comunitaria. El abanico ideológico de quienes
siguen a Fernández Bogado hizo que tuviésemos que contestar planteos
al aire hechos por oyentes tan distintos como una profesional
paraguaya que tuvo que vivir exiliada durante años en Bulgaria, un
coronel de ejército retirado de la época de Stroessner, un artista que
fuera directivo de una organización que nucleaba a radios comunitarias
o a una persona que nos cuestionó y buscó conocer nuestra posición
sobre la nefasta y tristemente célebre guerra de la Triple Alianza.
Fernández Bogado hizo algunas declaraciones fuera de micrófono que
tomamos como testimonio único de su actuación y experiencia personal
al frente de la emisora Radio Libre. Pudimos también hacer algunas
grabaciones de identificaciones de la emisora en estudio. Ah! también
fuimos obsequiados, como bien señala Ruben Margenet en su relato de
ayer con un libro de la autoria de Benjamin titulado "Textualmente...
radio-grafia de un país en crisis".
De alli retornamos al hotel para disfrutar de un suculento almuerzo y
descansar brevemente. Partimos luego, con el calor abrasador de la
tarde con destino al Archivo Nacional, donde queríamos recabar
información histórica de la radiodifusión en el país hermano. Sin
embargo, nos llevamos la desagradable noticia que daba cuenta que
durante el verano, el horario era limitado a la mañana local.
Inmediatamente nos pusimos en marcha con destino a Radio Nacional del
Paraguay, ubicada a unas 10 cuadras de allí. En el trayecto, por idea
de Rubén, entramos a una librería pequeña, en la cual pudimos adquirir
dos ejemplares de un libro que reseña la historia de la radio en el
Paraguay. Su título es "De oído y de memoria" y fue fruto del trabajo
de investigación de Luís Verón y Enrique Biederman, sus autores. Este
hallazo demuestra que hemos tenido una suerte extraordinaria, que a
decir verdad, nos acompañó en todo momento.
Finalmente llegamos a la emisora estatal paraguaya siendo recibidos
por --- sí --- el mismo ratón que nos diera la bienvenida y la
despedida el dia anterior!!!!!! ¿Increíble no? El pequeño ratoncito se
mueve en la radio como si fuera un experto RR.PP.
El director de la Radio Nacional del Paraguay, señor Flaviano Díaz
Ayala estaba en esos momentos en una reunión en la Presidencia de la
República con uno de los ministros del Presidente de la Nación.
Empero, su hijo, Héctor, se comunicó telefónicamente con su padre y
éste le manifestó su deseo de que volvamos a las 2030 locales para
acompañarlo en su programa de radio que se iba a irradiar en 920 Khz y
en la ¡onda corta! No íbamos a perdernos esta experiencia por nada del
mundo. Teníamos aún cuatro horas libres, así que fuimos con un
colectivo local hasta el bonito barrio de Lambare, a visitar el
multimedios que componen Radio Primero de Marzo y sus dos primas de
FM: Radio Latina y Canal 100. Fuimos muy bien atendidos, pudimos hacer
un reportaje que nos llenó de información y por supuesto, no faltaron
las grabaciones hechas en estudio.
De allí retornamos al hotel para higienizarnos y tomar la merienda.
Inmediatamente después partimos, bajo una torrencial lluvia, con
destino a Radio Nacional del Paraguay, distante una media hora de
viaje de nuestra habitación.
Lo que vivimos en la emisora del gobierno fue sencillamente
inolvidable. Compartimos la mesa del programa "Tenonde Paraguay"
(traducido "Adelante Paraguay") que se irradia de lunes a viernes de 6
a 8 locales y de 21 a 24 en su segunda edición) con el Director de la
emisora y conductor del mismo, señor Flaviano Díaz Ayala, con el
Viceministro de Asuntos Interiores de la República, con un médico y
epidemiólogo de Pedro Juan Caballero y con un asesor en temas de
Seguridad Interior de la Presidencia. A pesar de nuestro cansancio,
tuvimos que estar las 3 horas frente al microfono.
Pasamos ese mismo dia de estar al micrófono de una radio contestaria y
que se transforma en un dedo en la llaga para el gobierno a estar en
la emisora en que parece venerarse la figura presidencial de una
manera --- digamos --- demasiado empalagosa.
A medianoche, partimos rumbo a nuestro hotel por la solitaria capital
paraguaya exhaustos, pero más que satisfechos. La experiencia, que
tiene decenas de pequeñas anécdotas complementarias y casi
concomitantes, valió la pena. 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, Paraguay,
condiglist via DXLD)
** PARAGUAY. Según nos manifestó el mítico José Holowaty, es intención
de Radio América, Ñemby, Paraguay, retornar a la onda corta
brevemente. Lo único que falta para su puesta en funcionamiento es la
adquisición de un transmisor. El parque de antenas está a punto y lo
pudimos verificar en la planta transmisora de Villeta. Se trata de
antenas del tipo de cortina, las cuales fotografiamos aunque,
desafortunadamente, yo no cuento con una máquina digital por lo que no
puedo reenviar la exposición.
Es importante soslayar que la planta de Radio América está muy
expuesta a las inclemencias climáticas que le generan enormes
dificultades y obligan a las autoridades de la emisora a utilizar el
equipo transmisor de emergencia que se encuentra en Ñemby.
Ñemby, donde están los estudios de la emisora, es una localidad
ubicada a menos de 20 km del centro de Asunción, con una importante
ruta que cruza la misma y donde las vivendas y construcciones son
bastante precarias. A menos de 500 metros de los estudios de RA, se
encuentra la planta transmisora de Radio Caritas (680 Khz), de
Asunción, emisora que también tuvimos oportunidad de visitar y que
será objeto de un completo relato. De todas maneras, haremos un
análisis más pormenorizado de Radio América en los próximos días
(Arnaldo Slaen, Paraguay, Jan 27, Noticias DX via DXLD)
** PHILIPPINES. Glenn, What about the Vietnam target at 262 degree
slew? New? 1170 MW station will be erect on same camp? Formerly at 262
degree towards Vietnam, but seemingly now to be re-constructed the 4-
mast array, by cutting three meters wire?
1500-1600 VOA VIET PHP 1000 262 degrees SEA
(Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Glenn, new patterns are optimized for the same actual service areas as
the previous ones. Regards (Ben Dawson, WA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. RADIO ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL, PROGRAMMES OF THE WEEK
Monday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, Commentary on current affairs, Media Headlines
PRO MEMORIA - The History of Romanians
Political Flash
Pages of Romanian Literature
Romanian Hits
Tuesday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, Commentary on current affairs, Media Headlines
Business Club (The Romanian business world)
European Horizons (the process of Romania's integration into the
European Union)
Talking Points (bimonthly)
New Names on the Cover
Wednesday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, Commentary on current affairs, Media Headlines
Society Today (mentalities, expectations, attitudes)
Partners in a Changing World
Cultural Survey
Romanian Musicians
Thursday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, Commentary on current affairs, Media Headlines
Cards on the Table (an unbiased debate)
Listeners' Letterbox
IT News
From Our Correspondents
The Skylark (Romanian folk music)
Friday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, Commentary on current affairs, Media Headlines
A Challenge for the Future / Terra - the 21st Century (once a month)
Over Coffee... with Artists
Pick of the Week
Practical Guide
The Folk Music Box
Saturday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, The Week (a retrospective of the political
events of the week)
World of Culture
RRI Encyclopaedia
Roots (Romanian traditions / traditional culture)
Radio Pictures
Romanian by Radio
DX Mailbag
Tourist Itineraries
Sunday
RADIO NEWSREEL: News, Focus
Sunday Studio (including Letterbox, interviews, reports, music)
Tourist Itineraries (repeat)
All That Jazz
Cookery Show
[Presumably some of these are skipped in the half-hour transmissions
at 0630, 2130] (from http://www.rri.ro/index.php?lmb=4&art=353 via
Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** ROMANIA. ROMANIA/USA: HARRIS COMPLETES 85M-DOLLAR FIRST PHASE OF
RADIO MODERNIZATION | Excerpt from press release by Florida-based
Harris Corporation dated 27 January
Harris Corporation today announced completion - nearly two years ahead
of schedule - of the 85m-dollar first phase of a comprehensive
programme to upgrade and expand the nationwide broadcast
infrastructure of S.N. Radiocomunicatii SA, Romania's state-owned
broadcast organization.
Modernization of Romania's aging broadcast communications system marks
a critical step forward for Romania and its population, bringing the
country up to date with the solid-state analogue technology favoured
in Western Europe. Harris' end-to-end radio and television solution
also provides S.N. Radiocomunicatii SA with a clear path to the
digital future.
Phase 1 of the three-phase project, which is providing 100 per cent
radio coverage throughout Romania, was completed in just 20 months
instead of the anticipated four-and-one-half years. Harris accelerated
the project by dedicating the additional engineering and technical
resources needed to establish nationwide radio coverage before
Romania's election in November 2004.
Harris supplied 28 low-power (10-kW to 50-kW) mediumwave transmitters,
eight high-power (200-kW and 400-kW) mediumwave transmitters and 106
FM radio transmitters for local coverage as well as longer distances
of difficult terrain at sites throughout Romania. The range and
diversity of transmitters was essential to ensure 100 per cent
nationwide radio broadcast coverage for Romania's regional network and
two national networks across urban areas and vast stretches of rural
communities often divided by the Carpathian mountains.
Gabriel Grecu, president of S.N. Radiocomunicatii, said: "The ability
to transmit high-quality radio and television broadcast signals
throughout the country is crucial. Our previous system employed
Eastern technology and frequency standards that were of poor quality
and frequently unreliable. Our nationwide reception is now excellent,
and we've harmonized our radio frequency bands with Western standards.
We're even looking into digital audio broadcasting (DAB) for the
Bucharest area. The whole project represents a huge improvement that
benefits not just our broadcast capabilities, but Romanian society as
a whole. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that, due
to the often-remote geography of Romania, there are really only six
months of the year when many of these areas are accessible. The
engineering, technology and coordination support of our Harris team
was superb."
The end-to-end transmission solution also included antenna systems,
microware links for resource sharing, engineering, installation,
training and commissioning services. In addition, the first of many
high- and low-power television transmitters and transposers were
installed. The television installations begin upgrades to Romania's
television transmission infrastructure, which will be expanded and
completed during the remainder of the modernization programme.
Furthermore, three control and monitoring networks will reduce
operational costs at each station facility by enabling the remote
monitoring of all radio and television transmission equipment from
four regional headquarters.
Until now, it has been conservatively estimated that the country's
aging broadcast technology did not reach up to 40 per cent of
Romania's 22.3 million. With the completion of the radio phase of the
modernization project, the country now enjoys 100 per cent radio
coverage at a higher fidelity and lower cost. With the inclusion of
new RDS capabilities, public radio stations can be received and
retained on the move throughout the country. Romania also has the
ability to reach Romanians living in other European countries with the
use of a Harris longwave AM transmitter. [Passage omitted] Source:
Harris Corporation press release, Melbourne (Florida), in English 27
Jan 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
So the tube megawatters on 855, 1053 and 1179 seems to be still in
use. 855 appears to be a bit weak for 1500 kW right now, but this is
hard to judge with co-channel Berlin-Britz being on as substitute for
990 which is silent for more than a month now (Kai Ludwig, Germany,
01.28.05 - 1:18 am, Media Network blog via DXLD)
** SINGAPORE [non]. Dear Listener of AWR: Thank you for your inquire
regarding to our Wavescan - DX program of ours. The program has be
produced by the team of English Language Service located at the
outskirt of London, for quite some time. However, AWR decided to stick
more strongly to the organizational rule. AWR according to the rule
should be the broadcaster of the programming developed in many
languages by the group of studios who produce programs titled in most
cases as "Voice of Hope" or equivalent in own languages. So the result
was to close English Language Service and consequently, the production
of Wavescan has gone with English Language Service.
However, there are so many DXers within Asia/Pacific Region. AWR
Asia/Pacific region office made contact with some studios to continue
Wavescan. I am thankful that several studios agreed to participate in
producing new "Wavescan". Since there was no time to prepare the
change, so we decided to put the English programs produced by English
Language Service (particularly chosen for the rerun by the producer).
The program may continue until the 2004 October - 2005 March schedule
ends. There were time sensitive programming in regular weekly cycle,
so those had to taken out. Wavescan is one of the time sensitive
programs.
So, Wavescan will be cease until the end of March. So, when the new
schedule should be up, then Wavescan should be back with new format.
However, there may be a possibility to have special even during the
period. So please be patient with us and keep listening to AWR. Thank
you very much! Akinori Kaibe, Region Director AWR Asia/Pacific Region
798 Singapore, Singapore 298186 E-mail: radio @ awr.org
http://www.awr.org (via Tony Ashar, Indonesia, HCDX via DXLD)
** SOMALIA. Radio Shabele, 6960.1 kHz, kommt in den letzten Tagen
ziemlich regelmäßig gegen 1720 UT mit brauchbarem Signal. Heute mit
einem langen Beitrag über die Wahlen in Palästina, und endlich hörte
ich auch einmal eine ID (P. Robic, Austria, Jan 9, 2005 in A-DX via
CRW via DXLD)
** SOMALIA. T5. Six Italian amateurs will be QRV as 6O0G and 6O0CW
from Galkayo beginning February 3. They should be active for 15 days.
Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters, including the newer bands, using
CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via I2YSB (DX Bulletin 4 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT January 27, 2005 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD)
** SPAIN. Re RNE 1359 in DRM --- Allow me to resume the press release
along general lines. Most of all it explains that RNE began
broadcasting in 1937, that its MW transmitters (especially Radio 1)
cover most of Spain and that unfortunately the coverage of their FM
system (which offers a much better audio quality) is not as good. MW
has lost many listeners, due to the lower sound quality, especially
for music, and due to the higher number of stations available on FM
(UHF). Moreover the text explains that MW signals cover large
distances, especially during dark hours, but that then paradoxically
enough the possibility of reception [suppose they are not referring to
DX-ers] is reduced due to increasing interference. DRM combines a
better quality (with possibilities for automatic tuning and additional
services) with the large coverage of the MW frequencies. Hope this is
helpful for the time being (Frankee van Gerwen / NL, Jan 26, MWC via
DXLD)
About this new DRM transmission is available on line an english
document written by Telefunken that have modified the transmitter for
DRM. http://www.telefunken-sendersysteme.de/int/DRM_Test_in_SpainE.pdf
(Andrea Russo, Italy, ibid.)
** SRI LANKA. Hello from Hilversum, Today the mood is sombre as we
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. It's
a rather chilling thought that this all happened little more than 5
years before I was born. Our thoughts also remain with the victims of
the tsunami disaster, and a month after the tragedy my colleague
Marijke van der Meer, who was on vacation in Sri Lanka when it
happened, has produced a documentary and accompanying Web feature in
which, in her own words, "I can only attempt to hold on to what I
never want to forget and try to pass it on." We think you'll find this
feature as moving as we did. Please take some time to read and listen.
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/southasia/sri050127
(Media Network newsletter Jan 27 via DXLD)
** SUDAN. Radio Peace on 4750 is currently coming through very well
here up to signoff at around 1745. It is much stronger than when the
station began regular broadcasts last year. It might be operating at
more than 1 kW, or perhaps I am getting a good signal from the "back"
of a dipole transmitting aerial. From their site at the Kenya/Sudan
border they might be using a dipole to beam northwest into Sudan, and
I am benefiting from the signal coming southeast off the other side of
the dipole back into Kenya. Mauno Ritola has already reminded me to
look out for 5895, and I will also check 9310 and 9485 (and Malawi on
4870). Regards, (Chris (in Nairobi) Greenway, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Chris, based on unexpectedly strong signals in North America a few
weeks ago, we strongly suspected R. Peace on 4750, was, at least part
of the time, being relayed, perhaps on a test basis, from some other
site, by VT, such as UAE? Please be on the lookout for signs of site-
switching and strength jumps (Glenn to Chris, ibid.)
WRTH 2005 on pp 363 lists additional 5 kW transmitter for Radio Peace
on 5895, located in Nuba Mountains. I contacted Kelly Coleman (BFO)
but he said he couldn't tell anything about it "yet". They are now
setting up an FM station (107.9) at that location. Maybe 5895 will
come on the air later (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 28,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN. I've got no recent news about the Voice of New Sudan 50 kW
transmitter (located at New Site). Chris, have you heard anything on
their proposed frequencies 9310/9485 or thereabout? (Jari Savolainen,
Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN. 7200, R. Sudan at 1825 Jan 25, talks by OM. ID At 1827 by YL
``Idaatu Jamahiriya ke sudan`` followed by music and a medical
program at 1833. Many IDs in between. S9, 43443 (Zacharias Liangas,
Thessaloniki, Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Chibo
c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian
loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SWEDEN. We're back (I hope) --- Hopefully this marks the resumption
of MediaScan. I had to stop for several reasons. First of all, I was
away on vacation for 6 weeks, and it was hard to get going again.
Then, I got put in charge of Radio Sweden's transition to a new web
content management system, and was told to put MediaScan aside.
Later, when it turned out that I did have some spare time in the new
assignment, the English Service expressed interested in continuing
MediaScan. But after a computer crash, I couldn't get my Radio
Userland blog software to work right. I've now switched to another
system, Blogdrive. It lacks many of the features of Radio Userland,
but does allow me to post from anywhere. I could only get Userland to
work on a computer and home, and not behind the firewall at Sveriges
Radio.
I'm note sure how often I will publish, or whether I will publish a
lengthy bulletin or blogs. The latter is easier, but others
(especially Andy at Radio Netherlands) do that well. I am gratififed
that a few people have asked if MediaScan is still alive. That
indicates some interest, so I will try to get something here on a
regular basis. Besides, it's a great URL and deserves content! Posted
at 01:18 pm by gwood (http://www.mediascan.org Jan 13 via DXLD)
** SYRIA [non]. 7470, 25/1 1609, The Arabic Radio, 333, ID by YL
"idha'at al arabiyyah", OM comments, ID by OM at 1617 & 1628, YL heard
``...lillahi ta'ala...`` choir then out (Tony Ashar, Depok, Indonesia,
icf-sw7600gr, telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
** TAIWAN. RTI STAFF & MANAGEMENT IN DISPUTE OVER DISMISSAL PLANS
A labour dispute has broken out at Radio Taiwan International as some
63 workers have complained that they are being laid off at the end of
the month without convincing reasons. The workers union of RTI claims
that they have not been given proper notice. However, RTI President
Cheryl Lai says there was a mutual understanding between management
and the employees. She says all 63 employees agreed to accept 19
months salary as severance pay, which they have all received.
Lai said that the size of the staff was proving to be an
administrative and financial burden. "With 67 percent of our budget
going to wages, we're spending too much on employees' salaries," she
said. "This has long been a problem. We are supposed to spend more on
producing better programmes."
A member of the RTI workers union said that just a few hours before
the company's end-of-year luncheon on January 14, Lai told the staff
of the Korean, Arabic, Cambodian [sic. RTI itself says Burmese],
Mongolian and Tibetan language sections that their programs would be
discontinued at the end of the month. The union member said that those
particular programmes regularly receive good feedback letters from
listeners and it is therefore absurd to cancel the broadcasts. "How
could they eliminate Arabic, a language spoken by one fifth of the
people in the world?" the union member said. (Source: Taiwan News
Online) posted by Andy @ 17:18 UT Jan 27 (Media Network blog via DXLD)
It's Burmese, instead of Cambodian, programs to be cut (Miller Liu,
Taiwan, 01.28.05 - 4:18 am, ibid.) Oops, missed that. Thanks. But I am
quoting a source, so I cannot change it. Have added an editorial note.
(Andy, 01.28.05 - 10:25 am, ibid.)
** THAILAND. 6765U, Bangkok Meterological Radio, 1900 25 Jan, IS and
YL with weather in Thai. Fair signal at S2. At 1634 on 27 Jan with S4
at 1636 again with IS and YL with weather in Thai, 32432, QRMed by
FDM?? (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150,
Degen 1102+1103, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m
V invert, 1m australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** UGANDA. From one source I got info that the planned Christian 1 kW
sw station in Kampala/Entebbe area got permission from the
authorities. They hope to be on the air maybe in March on "tropical
band". 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 28, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K. BBC World Service presents an "Iraq Election Special" at 1305
UT Sunday (Fred Waterer, ON, Jan 28, ODXA via DXLD) see also R.E.F.
** U K. Guardian | Internet saved the radio star --- As web radio
surges in popularity thanks to broadband, the BBC has decided to
relaunch its pioneering Radio Player software. Bobbie Johnson reports
Thursday January 27, 2005
When one-hit wonders Buggles launched MTV by declaring that "video
killed the radio star", it looked like an inevitable, if gloomy,
prediction. Back then, Microsoft was still in short pants and Usenet
had just been born. But 25 years later, online radio is one of the
web's success stories, enjoying huge growth as the number of
high-speed connections increases. To make the most of the surge, the
BBC this week relaunched its pioneering Radio Player software, an
innovative way of presenting the corporation's radio output as audio
on demand. The BBC says it serves up more than 10m hours of radio a
month over the internet, and will be hoping to give that a significant
boost. . . [more]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5112342-110837,00.html
(Guardian via Dan Say, BC, Mike Cooper, DXLD)
** U S A. FORMER VOA BETHANY SITE IN URGENT NEED OF REPAIR
An article in the Cincinnati Enquirer says that the former VOA Voice
of America Bethany Relay Station is in urgent need of repair, and to
help save the building Ohio lawmakers are considering a $275,000
grant. That money would be combined with locally generated dollars to
match a requested $625,000 "Save America's Treasures" federal grant.
The total $1.2 million would be spent on electrical, heating and
structural work on the building, which houses the Gray History of
Wireless Museum, the Media Heritage broadcasting collection and
township park offices. Read the full story: VOA site needs repair -
fast
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050127/NEWS01/501270375/1056
Veterans' Voice of America http://www.veteransvoa.com/
# posted by Andy @ 15:13 UT (Media Network blog Jan 27 via DXLD)
** U S A. Re WWV Voices: Glenn: -- My God, this brought back memories.
Don Elliott Heald and John Doyle were both longtime personalities at
WSB/750 and WSB-TV/2 in Atlanta; I met Don personally as a child, as
he attended the same church as my family, St. Philip's Cathedral. I
recall hearing about 15 years ago, that Lee Rodgers had been tapped as
the new WWVox; Lee at the time had been on air at KGO/810 for several
years; he then segued to KSFO/560 as Disney turned the station into a
companion-talker to KGO --- the latter of which, incidentally, has
topped each and every SF Bay Arbitron ratings book since, I believe,
1979. I don't know whether either Atlanta voice is still alive,
although I think John Doyle still works in Atlanta area TV, which
would most probably mean he is indeed still among us (Greg Hardison,
CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Glenn, That was a story I first heard on KNX news while driving my car
to work. I later found it via AoL search on both AP and Reuter. The
name used in all versions was Martin Edwards. I`ll see if I can dig up
more info for you over the weekend when there is a bit more time. I
kind of doubt I kept the original item. As to Lee Rodgers he is very
much alive and still doing the morning drive at KSFO paired with the
very effervescent Melanie Morgan. Those few times I get up before dawn
I listen in on groundwave. KSFO has a mean nighttime signal into
SoCal. More later... (de Bill Pasternak, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. CARSON'S HAIRIEST MOMENT --- Column by Nick Clooney
Here's a small personal footnote to the story of the late Johnny
Carson. It deals with his loyalty.
http://www.cincypost.com/2005/01/26/cloon012605.html
(via Tom Roche, DXLD)
** U S A. NEW YORK RADIO STATION PULLS SHOW OVER TSUNAMI SLUR
By Mark Egan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The entire staff of the New York radio show "Miss
Jones in the Morning" was taken off the air on Wednesday after
broadcasting a song that ridiculed victims of the tsunami in South
Asia, the radio station said.
New York FM radio station WQHT, or HOT 97, repeatedly ran the segment
last week on the show, hosted by deejay Tarsha Nicole Jones who uses
the on-air name Miss Jones.
Jones and her team were suspended indefinitely, according to publicist
Lizzie Grubman, who declined to say whether Jones would feature in
another show at a later date.
"What happened is morally and socially indefensible," said Rick
Cummings, president of Emmis Radio. The station is owned by Emmis
Communications Corp.
"All involved, myself included, are ashamed and deeply sorry. I know
the members of the morning show are truly contrite. They know their
actions here are inexcusable," Cummings said in a statement.
The piece used racial slurs to describe people swept away in the
disaster, made jokes about child slavery and people watching their
mothers die.
"You can hear God laughing, 'Swim you bitches swim,"' was one line in
the song, sung by staff of the show to the melody of the 1985 famine
relief song "We Are the World."
On Monday, the hip-hop and R&B radio station and the deejay apologized
and the seven-member morning show crew agreed to donate one week's pay
to relief efforts. The tsunami struck on Dec. 26, leaving nearly
300,000 dead or missing around the Indian Ocean from Somalia to
Thailand.
The incident is not the first time HOT 97 has been accused of racism
and poor taste. The station made headlines when deejay Star, now at
another radio station, called Jennifer Lopez (news) a "rice-and-bean
eater" and satirized the plane crash that killed R&B singer Aaliyah in
2001 (via Bill Hale, NRC-AM via DXLD)
*soapbox mode ON*
Dear God!! I'm... well... I'm not sure what to say. It's things like
this that make me thankful I work in NON-commercial radio. What is
wrong with these people?! Honestly, I admit that I've been of the
opinion over the past year that certain segments of the public, not to
mention the FCC, have reacted far too indignantly over things like the
stupid (but basically harmless) Janet Jackson boob-baring Super Bowl
stunt etc. But then something like this happens, and you really do
start wondering at the lack of self-discipline, standards,
sensitivity, a conscience, or anything resembling humanity
demonstrated by tasteless things like this. What makes me feel even
worse is that these morons aren't operating in a vacuum -- they
actually have LISTENERS, perhaps millions of them, who actually ENJOY
this sort of "humor." What kind of "person" does it take to make
fun of victims of a natural disaster?! Oh, yeah, the station
management and staff are "contrite" and have pulled the show off the
air... but the damage is already done. And you know damn well this was
no isolated incident for those hosts or this station.
I suddenly feel the need to take a shower... or possibly get my
stomach pumped (Randy Stewart, Springfield MO, NRC-AM via DXLD)
The crew of the morning show on WQHT http://www.hot97.com a hip hop
station owned by the Emmis media conglomerate, have been suspended
indefinitely after an outcry over a parody of "We are the World" which
included a racist word for Chinese.
A Chinese-American NYC councilman from Flushing, Queens, had called
for fines and a sponsor boycott and, indeed, some of the sponsors had
begun to pull their ads off the station.
http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/manhattan/nyc-ethot0127,0,3165450.story
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/275357p-235692c.html
If you really want to hear it, I found two different links which are
working right now. (There was one on the radio station's web site but,
suprise, suprise, it ain't there any more.)
http://www.b0g.org/wsnm/uploads/USA_For_Indonesia.mp3
(1,275,120 bytes) and, if you really need this turd at high quality,
there's (combine the lines - I don't think this list allows text
attachments for long URL's)
http://theadviceasshole.net/forum/index.php?s=08ed9cae39ed7851d8f315a41f694d5c&act=Attach&type=post&id=238
(2,914,010 bytes)
(Joel Rubin, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD)
http://www.hiphopmusic.com/archives/000759.html has links to
petitions, advertisers, and to the e-mail addresses of the
unprincipled mental deficients of Hot 97 (WQHT-FM) who manage this
enterprise and who actually perpetrated the incident. I hope that this
station gets its license pulled & its managers & owners bankrupted
(after all, they are ultimately responsible, for they are the ones who
hired and sanctioned the on-air trash). But as others have noted, what
kind of audience must a station like this have? As my dad used to
note, "trash is as trash does." (Fred Schroyer, Freelance Science
Writer / Editorial Consultant, Waynesburg, PA 15370 (40 air miles S of
Pittsburgh - 20 air miles N of Morgantown, WV), ibid.)
On what basis would the license be pulled? Agreed, if aired as
reported, it was in very, very bad taste. But was it illegal or
violating any FCC rules? I think not. If we follow this thinking, then
we very soon will be at the point where anything not politically
correct will be banned which will stifle meaningful discussion and
differing opinions. If there is a rule violation, that is a different
story. And yes, management should be more responsible and not let this
happen (Allan Dunn, K1UCY, ibid.)
** U S A. TROUBLE BUBBLING UP? NAUTICAL NONSENSE!
By Al Kamen Friday, January 28, 2005; Page A25
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A43234-2005Jan27?language=printer
Outgoing Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael K. Powell
made a name for himself with his noble efforts to protect Americans
from "wardrobe malfunctions" and other indecencies on the airwaves.
But Powell, who is leaving in March, is unlikely to weigh in on recent
concerns that cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants, who lives in a
pineapple with his pet snail under the sea, is being manipulated as a
frontsponge for a "pro-homosexual video."
James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, leveled the charge
against a music video during inaugural week. The music video, which
features SpongeBob, Barney and the sexually suspect Bert and Ernie,
was created by Nile Rogers, founder of the We Are Family Foundation --
and author of that hit song. It has reportedly been on television
networks, and the foundation plans to send the video to schools to
encourage toleration of others. Dobson did not say SpongeBob is gay,
although he does hold hands with his pal Patrick the starfish and
likes an underwater TV show called "The Adventures of Mermaid Man and
Barnacle Boy."
Powell reacted with commendable alacrity and horror at Janet Jackson's
bare breast, Bono's language and Howard Stern's show. But he has been
strangely quiet on this latest crisis. And Loop Fans know why: Powell
is quite close to the sponge dude, knowledgeable sources tell us. He's
even been seen cavorting with him, including publicly on one occasion.
Back on March 10, we noted Powell's FCC Web site featured a photo of
the chairman and the sponge, grinning and holding hands no less in the
MTV booth at a trade convention. This and similar fun photos were
removed from the site not long after that item ran. Even so, we are
told the Powell/SpongeBob relationship remains, let's say, very
special (via Mike Cooper, DXLD)
** U S A. Friday 5:00 PM CST [2306 UT Jan 28] on Media Talk with Dave
Berkman airing on Wisconsin Public Radio --- Michael Powell announced
that he'll resign as chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission. After five on Media Talk, Dave Berkman and his guest
discuss why Powell is choosing to step down.Guest: Bill McConnell,
senior writer, Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. Once this has aired it
will also be available in the WPR archives at
http://www.wpr.org/webcasting/ideas_audioarchives.cfm?Code=mtk
(Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave,
http://www.primetimeshortwave.com Jan 27, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U S A. Colors show coverage areas of the three university station
groups creating Iowa Public Radio. FM coverage is shown in foreground,
AM daytime reach in back. Other state college stations are in gray.
Current map based loosely on calculations by Doug Vernier.
http://www.current.org/radio/radio0423iowa.shtml
UNIVERSITIES TO MERGE STATIONS, CREATING IOWA PUBLIC RADIO
Originally published in Current, Jan. 17, 2005 By Mike Janssen
Three public radio operations will merge to create a new Iowa Public
Radio network, the state`s Board of Regents has confirmed. The net
will include stations at three universities overseen by the regents:
WOI-AM/FM at Iowa State University in Ames, KUNI and KHKE at the
University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, and WSUI and KSUI at the
University of Iowa in Iowa City.
Regents expect the merger will lower administrative costs and improve
programming, with management of the stations centralized under an
executive director and news reports and other programming shared
throughout the network.
Managers of the stations share that optimism but worry about lost jobs
and the future of their local programs. The stations could end up with
a radically revised staffing hierarchy and significant overhauls to
the five program streams on their AM and FM signals.
Their universities have embarked on the first step of the process --
the search for Iowa Public Radio`s executive director. Each school
named an official to an executive council that will hire the director
within three to six months.
Mergers aren`t new to public radio, but the Iowa stations present
unique challenges. Most other mergers have united a dominant station
with a weaker competitor, says John Hess, director of broadcasting at
KUNI/KHKE.
But in Iowa, ``it`s really three very strong stations trying to come
together,`` Hess says. WOI and KSUI began broadcasting in the 1920s,
and KUNI, the relative newcomer, signed on in 1960. Over their long
histories the stations have developed their own personalities and
attracted loyal listeners and donors.
Realizing ``full potential``
Regents and station managers began eyeing a merger in late 2003, when
Iowa was grappling with a $60.3 million budget shortfall. The regents
began reviewing their spending priorities after an across-the-board
state budget cut.
The three stations now receive combined subsidies of almost $2 million
from their universities. A consultants` report that recommended the
merger suggested that the universities reduce subsidies by $300,000
over the next five years, from 35 percent to 29 percent.
The report by Bornstein and Associates said the state of Wisconsin and
its universities fund Wisconsin Public Radio at the same level and the
structure of that state network is the most comparable within public
radio to the vision for Iowa. Ron Bornstein, head of the consulting
firm, and Larry Dickerson and Jack Mitchell, who worked on the report,
are all veterans of the net operated by the state and the University
of Wisconsin.
The report stressed that the universities should focus more on
improving the stations` service than on saving money.
``Each [station] has probably reached its full potential as a totally
independent university station,`` the report said. ``Public radio in
Iowa has not reached its full potential, however.``
The report criticized the stations for chasing each other`s listeners
without developing a clear plan to complement each others` programming
or expand service to unserved listeners.
``To make the most of the considerable facilities built through the
years, the three public radio organizations in the state must operate
as if they were a single organization, and that requires a central
authority,`` the report said.
The regents affirmed only the general thrust of the Bornstein report
with their vote Dec. 6, leaving the new executive director to design
the network and follow through on the report`s detailed
recommendations for its structure and sound.
The university officials responsible for finding a director are Warren
Madden, Iowa State University`s v.p. for business and finance; Steve
Parrott, University of Iowa`s director of university relations; and
Steve Carignan, executive director of a performing arts center at the
University of Northern Iowa.
KUNI/KHKE`s Hess and Bill McGinley, g.m. of WOI, express interest in
filling the top job. Their counterpart at WSUI/KSUI, Joan Kjaer, says
she will not pursue it.
Better news and fundraising?
The Bornstein report suggested assigning the executive director to
supervise three regional managers, one at each university, plus a
membership director who would oversee fundraising for the system. The
regional managers would manage engineers, local hosts and underwriting
staffs.
The stations` three program directors, each governing a stream of
programming, would have their own staffs and also report to the
executive director.
Bornstein and Associates suggested creating three program streams:
a dual-format news-and-classical stream for WOI-FM and KSUI,
a news channel for the AM stations, WOI-AM and WSUI, with a heavier
mix of local and regional content, and
a news service with more NPR news, for use on KUNI.
For station staffers, the restructuring could mean new
responsibilities or even unemployment. McGinley believes combining
budgets, retraining staffers and creating a uniform pay scale could
pose some of the merger`s biggest challenges.
But he looks forward to the efficiencies that a shared newsroom and
membership department could bring. For example, the number of Morning
Edition and All Things Considered hosts among the stations could fall
from six to two, freeing four staffers to file more stories.
A new structure could let reporters adopt topical, statewide beats,
improving coverage and encouraging them to find exclusive stories,
says Greg Shanley, KUNI`s news director.
New program streams are months away, but McGinley says the stations
could soon share an All Things Considered host over the T1 line that
already connects the WOI and WSUI/KSUI studios. They might also begin
using the Iowa Public Radio identifier with some existing joint
ventures, including their reports from the state legislature and on
Talk of Iowa, a co-produced daily talk show.
Go west, new network
With the university transmitters concentrated in eastern and central
Iowa, the Bornstein report also advises the network to expand service
to the west by inviting two stations operated by community colleges to
join — KIWR in Council Bluffs and KWIT/KOJI in Sioux City. Western
Iowans receive no FM service from the three stations and AM service
only during the day.
But the directors of the stations say they have little interest in
joining. Gretchen Gondek, g.m. of KWIT/KOJI, says her station receives
strong community support and wants to preserve its local programming.
``We`re doing just fine the way we are,`` she says.
A former manager of KUNI/KHKE also fears for the merging stations`
local character. Over the decades, the stations have greatly burnished
the images of their parent institutions, says Doug Vernier, who served
as director of broadcast services at KUNI/KHKE for 30 years, until
retiring in 2002.
``The study really glosses over how that can be maintained,`` says
Vernier, who was interviewed for the Bornstein report.
The Bornstein report included case studies of mergers in other states,
many of which foreshadow kinks that could arise in Iowa. Listeners
often fear losing their favorite programs, while employees can bridle
at reorganizing. Veterans of other mergers advised the Iowa stations
to sell their plan well, anticipate a backlash and stand by a clear
vision for the new network.
Listeners have expressed ``deep concern`` that WSUI/KSUI could cancel
local shows, says Kjaer, the station`s interim manager and p.d. of its
FM classical service. The task ahead, she says, is determining ``how
to make a statewide service feel like it comes from your home.``
(Current via DXLD)
** U S A. "WWKP" 1410 Khz, 0139 UTC, McDonough GA, USA. Snail mail
three page verification request sent to PO Box 878, Jackson, GA 30233,
e-mail reply after 15 days: "THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT YOU DID RECEIVE
WKKP'S SIGNAL. WE ARE THRILLED TO KNOW THAT IT IS POSSIBLE.
WKKP...1410-AM" Received on their nighttime power of 58 watts
(reception was at 7.40 p.m. local time Georgia). Station is 13,193
kilometers, 8,194 miles from this QTH. The format was Nostalgia/
contemporary oldies. Reception on RX Drake R8B and antenna RF Systems
DX-1 Pro (John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa,
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s, MWDX via DXLD)
But how much power were they really running? ``Day`` power is 2500
watts. Why do you put a different callsign in quotes at the beginning
--- did they give their own call wrong? (gh)
** U S A. Re WDAE 620: Any idea of exactly where it is? For all that
I've read about it, this detail missing. If I can get there, I can get
a GPS coördinate for it (Bob Foxworth, Tampa, NRC-AM via DXLD)
Ask Barry Mishkind if he knows the coördinates - I can find it on the
topo map (I went there with Ron - it's a must-see for MF/LF antenna
junkies, amateur and professional) but I don't know the coördinates
offhand (Ben Dawson, WA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 'BLUE' RADIO TO DEBUT IN MEMPHIS [TN]
Ed Hicks 12:41 PM CST Wednesday
Jerry Springer is not coming to Memphis radio -- at least not yet --
but Al Franken is. Franken, the former Saturday Night Live comedian
who made a splash last year with his book about Fox News, will be
featured on a new AM format starting Friday. Entercom Memphis will
change the call letters of radio station WJCE-680AM on Friday, and
will launch a liberal talk radio format under the name Progressive
Talk 680 WWTQ-AM, broadcasting the Air America Radio network. . .
http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2005/01/24/daily19.html
(via Artie Bigley, Brock Whaley, DXLD) The former WMPS (Whaley, DXLD)
** U S A. DAYTIME SCAN METRO-BOSTON UNLICENSED STATIONS --- At last
Friday's BADX meeting, Bruce Conti discussed low-power unlicensed
broadcasters in the Boston area. At lunchtime on 27 JAN 2005, I did a
quick bandscan from the car at my office parking area in Wilmington,
MA just west of the I-93 / Route 129 intersection, about 10 miles / 16
km north of Boston.
530, weak TIS station jumble
540, R. Log, Dorchester, soul music, fair atop WLIE-NY
870, just had usual Maine over an unID that may have been the pirate,
WHCU-NY, or previously-noted (950*2)-1030 mix spur.
1580, not much, seemingly just weak LI station. Have heard Concorde
all the way from Rockport, but 35 miles over water is a lot less lossy
than 15 miles over highly-built-up land.
1610, slop from 1600
1620, French talk, good, presumed R. Energie
1630, weak carrier(s)
1640, French talk, fair
1650, airport TIS, good
1660, trace of NJ
1670, French teletalk, fair
1680, fair carrier with motorboating sound
1690, two stations: stronger one had Caribbean jazz
1700, carrier with a tone or het of about 800 Hz. Audio (talk) way
under.
1710, WRKO-680 + WBZ-1030 mix spur (as Bruce noted). WRKO is less than
4 miles from where I was listening (Mark Connelly, WA1ION, Jan 27,
NRC-AM via DXLD)
I sent the following to Radio Concorde, which is on 1580 in the
Dorchester MA area. I think it's high time we DXers know definitively
what's on the air there. I tried to stream audio from Concorde's web
site, with no success. Hey, maybe they will run morse code for a DX
test ;-) so Pat Martin peut ecouter! (Saul Chernos, ON, ibid.)
Do you play Caribbean music on Saturday evenings? If so, I might have
heard you in Ontario, Canada, just north of Toronto on the AM RADIO
(i.e., NOT on the Internet). I heard Caribbean music on 1580 AM. At
the same time, last Saturday evening, I had French on 1700 (I have
heard 'Belle Haiti' before), and also a somewhat religious station on
1710 at one point playing religious-sounding music, and later giving a
phone number and call-ins 617-265 and then something that sounded like
2005 - en français. But, my call would not go through. I have also
heard Radio Energie on 1620 in the past, and similar stations from the
same area on 1640, 1670, 1690. Do you have any idea who I might have
heard on 1710? And might that possibly be Concorde on 1580? (Saul
Chernos, NRC-AM via DXLD)
** VATICAN [non]. Vatican Radio Central European programmes now
relayed by both Montecarlo frequencies 702 and 1467 kHz.
As interferences on 1467 kHz were growing, the station had decided to
try 702 kHz (beam 65 , power 400 kW) also from Roumoules in Southern
France. About 702 kHz, listeners report good reception in North-East
Italy. Also in Rome the signal is good but some QRM comes from Turkey
as well as interferences are reported in Prague, likely from Rádio
Regina Kosice, Slovakia. Central European programmes open with
Hungarian at 1810 UT and close down with German at 1920-1940.
Frequency from Montecarlo 702 and 1467 kHz, from Rome 1530 kHz.
Reports are welcome. Vatican Radio, 00120 Vatican City (via PlayDX via
BCLNews.it via DXLD)
** VIETNAM [non]. 9930, 24/1 1230, R. Free Vietnam, 444, coming after
KWHR Naalehu, Hawaii s/off; ID by YL - comments in Vietnamese, 1259
back to KWHR.
15680, 25/1 1220, Que Huong Radio, 444, YL & OM talk in Vietnamese by
turns - 1259 heavy noise (Tony Ashar, Depok, Indonesia, icf-sw7600gr,
telescopic rod, HCDX via DXLD)
** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 7460, R. Nacional de la RASD Off again?
Untraced in our local afternoons, had been good (H. Johnson, FL, Jan
11-12, 2005, CRW via DXLD)
Escuchas del día 26 de Enero. ARGELIA, 7460, Radio Nacional de la
República Arabe Saharaui, 2241, comentarios en árabe por locutor, ID:
"Arabia Saharauia". 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** ZAMBIA. 4500 Z[N]BC, Lusaka, 0204+, Enero 15, Vernacular, noticias
por OM e YL en vernacular, 35343 (Arnaldo Slaen, DX Camp at Ilha
Comprida, SP, Brasil, Noticias DX via DXLD)
Per 5-007 and 5-008, they had left 4500 to return to 6165 by Jan 8. So
to-and-fro-ing? (gh, DXLD)
** ZANZIBAR. After my recent report of Dar es Salaam on 6105, some
people asked about Zanzibar. In regular checks over the past few days
I have heard nothing on either 6015 or 11734 and so I believe
Zanzibar to be silent on SW at present. Regards, (Chris (in Nairobi)
Greenway, Jan 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 3360, 0710 9/1, NOID, español, programa de tangos, (3º
armónico de 1120 kHz), débil, también escuchada en la MW pero muy
interferida (Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay, Boletín DX de "El
EsKuch@ Newsletter" via Dario Monferini, playdx via DXLD) So would
that be the only Uruguayan listed on 1120, CW31, R. Salto, or maybe
the only Argentine, LV5, R. Sarmiento, San Juan? (gh, DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED. Propagation intéressante ce matin --- 4185, non ident??
relais? harmoniq? 0556, 222, slave, om, Jan 27 05 (Michel Lacroix,
France, HCDX via DXLD) Looks like Albania, 3 x 1395, relaying some
other country; is that in a Slavic language at 0556? Too bad you
didn`t listen four more minutes (gh, DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED. Found an unID spur on 6323.7 at 1619 UT 28/1/05 whilst
looking for pirates, very muffled mod, can't ID language (Tim
Bucknall, UK, harmonics yg via DXLD)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DRM
+++
SPECIAL DRM TRANSMISSIONS TO MEXICO 5-20 FEB
From Sat 5 February to Sun 20 February 2005, the following DRM
transmissions will be beamed towards Mexico from our Bonaire relay
station (290 degrees):
2200-2300 UT Spanish on 9900 kHz
2300-2400 UT Dutch on 9885 kHz
The 2200-2300 DRM transmission in Spanish on 12000 kHz will be
cancelled during this period (Media Network newsletter Jan 27 via
DXLD) See also CANADA
CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
HFCC, DRM MEETINGS IN MEXICO CITY, FEBRUARY 7-11
The A05 seasonal meeting of the HFCC (High Frequency Coordinating
Conference), sponsored by the NASB, the U.S. International
Broadcasting Bureau and two Mexican shortwave stations, will take
place in Mexico City February 7-11, 2005 at the Hotel Marquis Reforma.
Former NASB President Jeff White of WRMI is organizing the event,
along with a team of others including NASB Board member Dennis Dempsey
of EWTN and current NASB President Doug Garlinger. All three will be
present at the conference.
At publication time, the number of delegates registered was 106. They
will be coming from shortwave stations and regulatory authorities from
around the world -- from the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, the
Middle East and Asia. There will also be representatives of
sponsoring organizations such as shortwave transmitter, antenna and
component manufacturers.
NASB member station KNLS is sponsoring a coffee break, and associate
member VT Communications is sponsoring an Internet Café. Associate
member IBB will be sponsoring a major conference dinner, and associate
members TCI Dielectric, Comet North America and Continental
Electronics will be sponsoring coffee breaks throughout the one-week
meeting. Riz Transmitters Co. of Croatia will also be sponsoring a
major conference dinner. For those organizations who would like to
sponsor an event at the HFCC Conference, there are still some coffee
breaks available for $600 each. Contact Jeff White for more
information at: radiomiami9 @ cs.com
This is the first time the HFCC and its sister organization ASBU (Arab
States Broadcasting Union) have ever held a meeting in Latin America,
and it is the first time that U.S. international broadcasting
organizations (the NASB and the IBB) have sponsored an HFCC-ASBU
Conference. It is rather fitting, as the first post-World War II
effort to coordinate global HF broadcast frequencies took place in
Mexico City in 1948 and 1949.
This HFCC-ASBU Conference will also be the first time that a DRM
(Digital Radio Mondiale) Symposium has been held in conjunction with
the event. On Wednesday, February 9, there will be a one-day DRM
Symposium sponsored by the DRM Consortium, also at the Hotel Marquis
Reforma. DRM is inviting Mexican radio stations, networks, producers,
regulatory authorities, etc. to attend the Symposium and learn about
the advantages of DRM for the Mexican radio industry. In conjunction
with this Symposium and the HFCC Conference, Riz Transmitters Co.
plans to do a live demonstration of DRM reception on 26 MHz, and
another transmitter company may do a demonstration of DRM on the AM
band. Special permits are being issued by the Mexican Ministry of
Communications for these DRM tests, and they are being conducted in
cooperation with Radio Educación, one of the conference co-sponsors.
The DRM broadcasts will air the programming of Radio Educación, a
cultural station that is owned by the Mexican Ministry of Public
Education and broadcasts on both AM and shortwave (1060 and 6185 kHz).
Below you will find the tentative agenda for the HFCC-ASBU Conference,
as well as the DRM Symposium. . .
http://www.shortwave.org/news/NEWSLETTER_0501.PDF
(Jan NASB Newsletter via DXLD)
DEUTSCHE WELLE LISTENERS` CONVENTION 2005 Feb 9
Place: GOETHE INSTITUT
Address: House # 10, Road # 9 (New), Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Date : February 9, 2005
Time : 13.00 (BST) [0700 UT]
Any Information Please Contract:
Engr. Md. Monzurul Alam Ripon
Director-General
Uttaran & Deutsche Welle Listener’s Club
Chandrapur, Bipra Halsa, Natore-6400, Bangladesh
Or
Engr. Md. Monzurul Alam Ripon
Director-General
Uttaran & Deutsche Welle Listener’s Club
P.O. Box 6122, Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Mobile : +88 0172 945438
Fax : 00 880 2 8753364
E-mail : monzurul_engineer@yahoo.com
(via Ripon, Noticias DX via DXLD)
POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS
++++++++++++++++++++++++
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE
WHY SHORTWAVE BROADCASTERS SHOULD BE DOING MORE TO FIGHT BPL
Commentary by Andy Sennitt, 27 January 2005
In the crucial first 48 hours after the tsunami hit Sri Lanka, modern
technology proved to be not up to the task of maintaining contact
between the capital, Colombo, and the stricken areas. Satellite phones
were sent there, but within hours the batteries were empty.
It fell to the island's Amateur Radio Union, led by Media Network
collaborator Victor Goonetilleke, to move in to the Prime Minister's
office and ensure that communications could be maintained. . .
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/media/features/bpl050127.html
(Media Network via DXLD)
RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM
+++++++++++++++++++++
A MAN AND A CAN
TOPIC: BBC Radio 4 program about the invention and use of canned
laughter
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/tvbarn2/browse_thread/thread/5ac14b8df94ecf8d
I thought that some from this group might appreciate this story.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/rams/tue1130.ram
It's a "listen again" feature, so it will likely be off the web site
in a matter of days. From the schedule description:
``A Man and a Can`` The story of the invention of canned laughter and
how it transformed television. In May 2003, one of the biggest
influences on television production, Charles Douglass, died at the age
of 93. A CBS engineer on live shows, in 1953 he developed a device
which would change the way we experience television. It looked like an
enormous typewriter and he called it the Laff Box. The original Laff
Box stood over two feet tall and contained a set of audio-tape loops
which featured recordings of laughter taken from episodes of the Red
Skelton Show and a Los Angeles performance by Marcel Marceau. A sound
editor would press different buttons for different types of laugh and
foot pedals were used to control the timing and duration of laughter.
The box was originally used to fill gaps in the sound of early tv
shows when scenes had to be reshot after the audience had left the
studio. But eventually artificial laughter would be used throughout
programmes, especially where audiences didn`t laugh at the appropriate
moments, or, if they did, not heartily enough. And thus was born what
became known as canned laughter. Canned laughter was originally
regarded as a democratic device, connecting audiences to the often
glamorous world of television sitcoms. But the ease with which the
Laff Box added hilarity to even the weakest shows led to its over use
and to the belief that, without canned laughter, a show would not be
regarded as funny. Today, laugh machines are the size of a lap top
computer and are still much in use. With contributions from Douglass`
son Bob, who has inherited his father`s post production business, and
from producers and critics in American and British television, this
programme tells the story of Charles Douglass, the Laff Box an [the
rest of the sentence seems to have been cut off.] Best regards, Ann
Carrigan (via Tom Roche, DXLD) ###